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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23947642">Summertime</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters'>tenmillionotters</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort Reading, Gen, Post canon, Psychological Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:13:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23947642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Decades after the Raccoon city incident, Carlos has moved to the countryside to lead a normal and quiet life. Accompanied by his cat, he lives through a normal day in his small cottage.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Summertime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Memories. </p><p>Memories were triggered by sensations. Sometimes a smell could bring back memories buried deep inside one's mind. </p><p>The smell of freshly cooked white rice would always remind him of his mother. The smell of the sea would always remind him of the summers he spent with his uncle. The smell of smoke and fire, brought back the memories of burning flesh, desperate screams for help and a city that no longer existed. </p><p>Carlos felt his body jolt up, drenched in sweat, he held his own body as if he was scared of falling apart if he didn’t. His mouth felt dry, he took deep breaths, swallowed down the panic and stared at his hands. Summer always brought back the nightmares, in a white heat, the nightmares were the worst, because they began to feel real. </p><p>They had been real. Those weren’t dreams either, it was a reality he had lived through. A long, long time ago. </p><p>He got up, there were things he had to do aside from having panic attacks in his sleep. </p><p>Alerted by the sound of his footsteps, little paws made their way towards him. Big round eyes met his gaze, she opened her little mouth and began screaming. </p><p>“Hey… did I oversleep again? Why didn’t you wake me up, hm? You little siren.” </p><p>The cat didn’t care that he scolded her. All she cared about was that he picked her up, close enough for her to lick his cheek. Wordlessly, he pressed her against his chest, she didn’t understand what this action meant, but he was warm, she liked that. She gently kneaded him, not feeling the tears that dripped down on his arms like gentle rain. </p><p>Softly, the clock kept on ticking. Time was relentless, it wouldn’t just stop because Carlos wanted it to. He couldn’t just vanish in the obscurity of nothingness, not when little Michelle was meowling because she was hungry, not when he had crops to water and fruit to pick off the trees. </p><p>“Do you think we should eat breakfast, Michelle?” </p><p>For a moment she stopped and stared at him, gathering all her might to meow at him as loudly as she could. He lifted her up once more, her claws tangled up in his tank top, she didn’t want to leave the spot close to his heart so soon. But she didn’t complain when she felt his lips touch her forehead. He always did that. Humans were weird, they didn’t even know how to clean a cat properly but it was okay. She loved her papa regardless.</p><p>A little bit of fresh water, wet food and a little dry food on the side. Michelle ate better than him on some days, he smiled tired. It was odd, only now that he ate regularly again, he was hungry. Before he went days without eating. Maybe he hoped that he would just fade away, fade out of the memory of people and the world, a world that didn’t have much regard for him either way. </p><p>He carefully sliced the bread he had baked the day before into generous portions, he needed to be prepared for the day. While he made his own breakfast, he watched Michelle eat. She purred and every now and then she looked up at him, when their eyes met she blinked slowly. </p><p>According to a quick google search it meant that she gave him a kiss, a slow blink is a cat’s sign of affection. Just like kneading. Just like her needing him, as much as he needed her. </p><p>Breakfast tasted so much better when it was the fruit of one's own labour. Maybe it wasn’t tasteful to sit on the kitchen counter, next to an open window but he enjoyed the fresh air alongside a cup of hot coffee and jam toast. </p><p>Who would judge him anyway… </p><p>The dishes peacefully soaked in the sink as he walked outside into the bright sunlight, ready to take care of all the little goals he had set himself for the day. </p><p>First of all, he needed to water his plants before the sun would reach its highest peak around midday. He had learned the painful lesson of not watering crops when it was too hot outside during his first year of farming. </p><p>Now he could proudly say that all of his crops were still alive and thriving. </p><p>It was almost ironic that hands that used to take lives in the attempts, and failure, to save more lives than they took, could actually make plants grow now. Tyrell would get a kick out of making fun of him for that… </p><p>Ah… thinking about him hurt less now, he didn’t want to look back and feel tears flood his eyes, no, he wanted to remember his friend with a smile on his face. </p><p>“You girls need a bit more time to grow,” he felt the smooth skin of the tomatoes under his hands, by now he could tell by feeling them when it was time to harvest them. Watching them slowly turn from a bright, rich green into a deep and sweet red was the most satisfying process he had ever witnessed. </p><p>With one swift movement, she snipped off a ripe sugar pea and lazily pushed it between his lips. Now wasn’t the time to snack, but they were so crispy and sweet. Given the name it wasn’t surprising… </p><p>He worked his way through the various rows of vegetables and fruit, armed with his watering can and compliments to the hardworking organisms. The berries would be ready in fall, the strawberries would be dead by then. In the winter he didn’t have much to do aside from trying to bake more, fix up the woodwork on the coop and plan ahead for next year's crop. </p><p>It seemed so mundane, but it gave him a purpose. Knowing that something living was reliant on his care made it so much harder to just lay down and wait for death. </p><p>Alerted by the sound of his footsteps, the chickens in the coop began to glug. Carlos couldn’t help but smile, what a silly bunch his ladies were. </p><p>“Sorry for making you wait,” he opened their little gate and let them roam free in their little kingdom. They enjoyed the good weather just as much as he did. The smell of hay filled his nostrils as he cleaned out the coop, picking up the eggs his girls had carefully laid for him. </p><p>He placed them in a small basket, they weren’t for him, but someone else. But they wouldn’t be here anytime soon… that would still give him enough time to fix up the roof of the workshop. </p><p>Carpentry was an oddly calming hobby, but if his workshop got flooded he would have more in common with Jesus Christ than just his profession. There were a lot of things Carlos could do, but walking on water wasn’t exactly the kind of skill he wanted to pick up just yet. </p><p>He put the basket of eggs on the porch, right next to the three empty baskets that were waiting to be filled, but little hands didn’t take kindly to him doing it for them, so he would wait. </p><p>Michelle lazily opened her eyes and looked at Carlos before she yawned and went back to sleep, he could work, she would sleep. Oh? Head scratches… how nice… </p><p>“Sleep well.” </p><p>Oh she would. Even if he would make an awful lot of noise with his hammer. Every now and then she woke up, she needed to check on him after all. Just letting him go about his day was unheard of. But he did just fine… yes yes… time to sleep. </p><p>“Just in time…”, he could take a quick shower before his guests would arrive. Good thing they were always running a little late anyway. </p><p>Watching the dirt and sweat wash off him was the proof that he had worked hard that day. It felt good to know that there was a testament to his life, even if it was small, in every tree, every plant that grew on this little patch of land he called his own. </p><p>His hand wiped over the mirror, he would clean the mess he made later but he wanted to see his reflection. He wanted to know that he was truly alive. </p><p>Silver strands mixed in with his dark curls, time had been kind to him, the lines on his face made him look like a living and breathing being. They were the proof that he had lived up until now and nothing had ever changed that. </p><p>Every scar, every trauma, was just a part of him, an extension of him. Even if they still hurt, he was okay, they faded, slowly. They were a part of him, definitely. </p><p>Was there something like a farmer chic? A uniform for handsome farmers. Well. Even if there wasn’t, a light shirt and jeans did just fine. </p><p>Just as he got done dressing himself, he heard a car pull-up in his driveway. How odd… they were usually never on time. Carlos made his way towards the front door, hearing a conversation between a little sprout and Michelle.</p><p>“Uncle Carlos!” </p><p>Little feet, chased by small paws came running towards him. “Hey Piper,” he lifted the girl up and gave her a tight hug, “You’ve grown so much since the last time I’ve seen you. Who knows if I can lift you up the next time you’ll come here.” </p><p>“Then I will stop growing!” </p><p>“You shouldn’t. Don’t you want to grow taller and stronger than your dad?” </p><p>“Yes!”, she raised her little arms and giggled before hugging her uncle again. </p><p>“Hey Carlos,” ah, every time she said his name it made him feel at ease, even now.</p><p>“Hey supercop, I didn’t expect you guys to show up this early, did Chris join you this time?” </p><p>“I’m afraid he didn’t… there’s still a lot of work to do but Piper insisted that we should still come.” </p><p>“Is that true?”, Carlos couldn’t help but smile over Piper’s willingness to just leave her dad behind for a trip to the countryside. </p><p>“Yes, yes. I will bring him the prettiest leaf I can find, then he won’t be so sad.” </p><p>“That’s a good plan,” he carefully put the little girl on her own two feet again, “Do you want to help me harvest some vegetables and fruit for your dad too? I’m sure he’d be happy if you bring him back more than just a pretty leaf.” </p><p>“Yes!”, little hands grabbed the empty baskets and the eager 4 year old ran off. </p><p>“She wouldn’t stop talking about our trip to your place,” Jill laughed and watched Piper get distracted by a lizard who was just trying to enjoy some time in the warm sunshine, “How are you doing Carlos? I’m… sorry we didn’t come here any sooner, isn’t it lonely out here?” </p><p>He only shook his head and smiled, “Not since I got Michelle and the chickens… and well… social media exists.” </p><p>Instead of giving him a verbal answer, Jill cupped his face, her hands were so warm and soft. She hadn’t aged much either but she had changed… She was so much gentler now, the shadows that hung over her for so long had vanished ever since she'd gotten married and had given birth to Piper. </p><p>“You look a lot better… I’m glad.” </p><p>“I can’t die on you and leave you in a cold, cruel, Carlos-less world, can I?” </p><p>Even though this sentence should be linked to a painful memory, it made her smile. “You’re just as corny as ever.” She walked towards Piper, he followed her quietly. </p><p>Slowly, the empty baskets filled up, but it was thanks to Jill doing the work while her daughter was busy chasing ants and talking to lizards. But every now and then, little hands carefully placed a bean or a berry in one of the baskets before she ran off again. </p><p>Full baskets accompanied little bodies sprawled out on the porch, Michelle curled up on Piper's chest as they slept soundly. Carlos and Jill sat side by side, their arms touching while they stared off into the distance, holding each a cup of coffee. </p><p>A bitter flavour that became milder with time. Especially when every moment had to be savoured, they found new enjoyment in simple things like that. </p><p>“Who would have thought we’d ever get this far…” </p><p>“You know… I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you,” Jill stared at her cup, “And I am beyond grateful for it… so is Chris.” And Piper who didn’t understand any of it just yet. </p><p>“Knowing that I could at least save one life is… probably what kept me going all these years, you know?” There was an unspoken truth, the tale of a little boy who dreamed of saving the world but who ultimately failed. </p><p>… and yet… looking at Jill, watching her quietly drink her coffee as she watched the clouds pass by, meant he at least saved one world. One living being that created more life… it was a domino effect. </p><p>Jill was more than just a drop of water on the ocean's surface, her impact so much stronger than both of them could have imagined back then. </p><p>“I’m happy you're alive, Jill.” </p><p>“Thank you for still being with us, Carlos.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Piper is Jack’s @/PetrichorCrown’s OC/idea! I just borrowed her because I’m in love with the idea of Jill and Chris having a little baby daughter.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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